Multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeable refrigerant evaporation

ABSTRACT

A multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeable refrigerant evaporation implements a refrigerant-channel assembly to control refrigerant in terms of flow and direction, and, when working with a phase-change cooler, well supports both high- and low-temperature operations. The multi-channel refrigerant controller includes a refrigerant-channel assembly, a solenoid-valve assembly, a capillary-tube assembly and an execution controller. When receiving settings for a high- or low-temperature operation, the execution controller correspondingly opens relevant refrigerant channels in the refrigerant-channel assembly to guide the refrigerant influents through capillary tubes of different flow capacities to different sites on the phase-change cooler for evaporation cooling. In a high-temperature operation, the controller effectively cools down the otherwise hot, gaseous return refrigerant, so as to not only protect the cooling system&#39;s components and operators, but also improve cooling efficiency and capability.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-channel refrigerant controllerwith changeable refrigerant evaporation, which, by directing refrigerantto selectively flow through different refrigerant channels withdifferent directions and capacities, allows a phase-change cooler toperform low-temperature operations, high-temperature operations andconsistent-temperature control as required in chip testing and featuresprotecting a cooling system using the same from being damaged at its keycomponent, i.e. the compressor, and the insulating material of itsrefrigerant return tube, improving cooling efficiency and coolingcapability, and eliminating the risk that the related operatorsotherwise get scalded by high-heat melted insulating material covetingthe refrigerant return tube.

2. Description of Related An Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional cooling system 1 primarily comprisesa compressor 10, a condenser 11, a refrigerant controller 12, and anevaporator 13, which are mutually connected through channels to form aclosed cooling circulative cooling system.

In operation, the compressor 10 compresses low-temperature, low-pressurerefrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure, gaseous refrigerant.After cooled by the condenser 11, the gaseous refrigerant condenses intoambient-temperature, high-pressure, liquid refrigerant. Afterdepressurized by the refrigerant controller 12, the liquid refrigerantflows into the evaporator 13 as a low-temperature fluid for absorbingheat through evaporation. The refrigerant then becomes low-temperature,low-pressure gas that returns to the compressor 10 for the next cycle ofcooling operation. In this way, the compressor 10 works over time torealize continuous refrigeration for various low-temperature coolingapplications.

However, the traditional cooling system 1 as described above is onlyapplicable to low-temperature cooling, and is suitable for neitherhigh-temperature nor consistent-temperature applications. In the eventwhere it is forced to perform high-temperature operation anyway, thehigh-temperature gas generated by the system when returning to thecompressor 10 along with the refrigerant, is likely to be too hot forthe motor coil in the compressor 10 to endure, and, as a result, damagethe compressor 10, making the cooling system 1 unusable, which meansloss of money.

With years of experience in developing, manufacturing and improvingcooling systems, the inventor recognizes that the existing coolingsystems are defective for being limited, to low-temperature coolingoperation and not applicable to high-temperature applications, and thatwhen used in high-temperature applications anyway, the existing coolingsystems can have the compressor therein damaged. With the attempt toexpanding the use of the existing cooling systems, the inventor, basingon extensive expertise and long experience, has conducted repeatedexperiments, modifications and improvements, and finally invented thesubject matter of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a multi-channel refrigerant controllerwith changeable refrigerant evaporation, which uses a multi-channelapproach to control the flow and direction of its refrigerant, so as toallow a phase-change cooler to adaptive to both high-temperatureoperations ranging from 30 to 150° C. and low-temperature operationsranging from 0 to −90° C. The ability of the disclosed the structure toadapt the phase-change cooler for both high-temperature andlow-temperature operation depends on its unique configuration composedof a refrigerant-channel assembly, a solenoid-valve assembly, acapillary-tube assembly and an execution controller. Therefrigerant-channel assembly has two or more two-end refrigerantchannels. Each of the refrigerant channels has one end connected to asolenoid valve. These solenoid valves are connected to two-end capillarytubes of different flow capacities, These capillary tubes have theiropposite ends connected to a cooling system at different locations. Therefrigerant channels of the refrigerant-channel assembly have theiropposite ends mutually communicated and then connected to a condensingtube of a condenser of a phase-change cooler. The execution controllerserves to control the solenoid valves, a cooling unit of the coolingsystem (also referred to as an evaporation room in a general coolingsystem), the compressor, and so on.

For the phase-change cooler to operate, a user can set operationaltemperature as required at the execution controller, so the controllerwill correspondingly open refrigerant channels with different flowcapacities to direct the refrigerant to the different locations on thecooling system for evaporative cooling. Thereby, the cooler is allowedto perform high-temperature operations, low-temperature operations, andconsistent-temperature control. Meantime, since the returned gas hasbeen cooled, the compressor of the cooling system and the insulatingmaterial peripherally covering the refrigerant return tube can beprevented from being burnt out during high-temperature operations. Inaddition, when there is a need to switch to a low-temperature operationfrom a previous high-temperature operation, the system can have thecooling unit cooled rapidly and have its cooling capability improved.More importantly, related operators are protected from scald inhigh-temperature operations. To sum up, the present invention is trulyprogressive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a conventional cooling system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a systematic diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 provides more embodiments of the refrigerant-channel assemblyaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please first refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofthe present invention. As shown, the subject matter of the presentinvention is mainly composed of a refrigerant-channel assembly 20, asolenoid-valve assembly 21, a capillary-tube assembly 22, and anexecution Controller 23. The refrigerant-channel assembly 20 includestwo-end refrigerant channels 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205, each of whichhas one end connected to a solenoid valve 211, 212, 213, 214, or 215,which is connected to one of two-end capillary tubes 221, 222, 223, 224,and 225 that have different flow capacities, so as to form amulti-channel refrigerant controller. The capillary tube 221 has itsopposite end connected to a refrigerant return tube 33 at a site 332near the compressor 32. The capillary tube 222 has its opposite endconnected to the refrigerant return tube 33 at a site 331 near a coolingunit 31. The capillary tubes 223, 224, and 225 are directly connected tothe cooling unit 31. The refrigerant channels 201, 202, 203, 204, and205 of the refrigerant-channel assembly 20 have their opposite endscommunicated mutually and connected to a condensing tube 301 of acooling system 3 so as to become communicated with a condenser 30. Theexecution controller 23 serves to separately control the solenoid-valveassembly 21 and the cooling unit 31 and the compressor 32 of the coolingsystem 3.

Please keep referring to FIG. 3, which is a systematic diagram of thepresent invention. In operation, after a user sets a certainhigh-temperature point at the execution controller 23, or when thesystem is hotter than 100° C., as a response, the execution controller23 immediately drives the solenoid valve 213 to open the refrigerantchannel 203 for high-temperature operation, so that an appropriate partof the refrigerant is guided thereto and evaporate, thereby offsettingthe high temperature and maintaining a consistent temperature. Theexecution controller 23 further drives the solenoid valve 211 to openthe refrigerant channel 201, so that the refrigerant is guided throughthe capillary tube 221 to an inlet 332 of the compressor 32 for timelyevaporation cooling, thereby making the high-temperature gas returningfrom the cooling unit 31 less hot, and in turn protecting the compressor32 from being burnt down by the otherwise high-temperature returninggas.

The refrigerant return tube 33 connecting between the cooling unit 31and the compressor 32 is designed as a low-temperature return tube forguiding post-evaporation cool gas, and has to be covered with a layer ofinsulating material so as to keep the post-evaporation returningrefrigerant cool enough to cool the compressor 32. However, in ahigh-temperature operation, the returning refrigerant running throughthe refrigerant return tube 33 from the cooling unit 31 to thecompressor 32 is gas of a very high temperature. In some extreme cases,the insulating material covering the refrigerant return tube 33 can bemelted by the high temperature of the gaseous refrigerant, and makingthe refrigerant return tube 33 become ineffective in terms of insulationfor later low-temperature operations. At this time, the executioncontroller 23 will drive the solenoid valve 212 to open the refrigerantchannel 202, for guiding the refrigerant to a preparation tube in frontof the refrigerant return tube 331 for evaporation cooling, so as toprevent the insulating material from being melted by the otherwisehigh-temperature gas. Thereby, the effectiveness of the refrigerantreturn tube 33 for low-temperature operations is well ensured.

Please also refer to FIG. 3. When the user has a changed temperaturerequirement and needs to set the execution controller 23 for alow-temperature application, the execution controller 23 responses tothis changed set by driving the solenoid valve 213 to close thehigh-temperature refrigerant channel 203, and making the low-temperaturerefrigerant channel 204 open, so that the refrigerant is guided into thecooling unit 31 for evaporative refrigeration. At this time, since thecooling unit 31 just undergoing a previous high-temperature operation,it is still as hot as above 100° C. For lowering the temperaturerapidly, the refrigerant channel 205 may be also opened as an auxiliarylow-temperature refrigerant channel, so as to accelerate evaporation ofthe refrigerant, thereby enjoying the advantageous if rapid cooling andimproved cooling capability.

At last, please refer to FIG. 4, which provides more embodiments of therefrigerant-channel assembly 20 according to the present invention. Inthe present invention, the refrigerant-channel assemblies 20 may bejoined together by means of tees 2011 and then connected to thecondensing tube 301. Alternatively, they may be joined together by meansof U-pipes 2012 and then connected to the condensing tube 301.Alternatively, they may be joined together by means of one distributor2013 and then connected to the condensing tube 301. Any of the foregoingconnecting schemes is applicable to various system configurationscontaining a phase-change cooler.

To sum up, the disclosed multi-channel refrigerant controller withchangeable refrigerant evaporation, b controlling the direction and flowof the refrigerant that performs evaporation cooling at different sitesof the cooling system, well supports low-temperature tests,high-temperature tests and consistent-temperature control in chipmanufacturing, and prevents the compressor of the cooling system and theinsulating material of the refrigerant return tube from being burnt downby high-temperature gaseous refrigerant. In addition, the disclosedmulti-channel refrigerant controller has the advantageous of rapidcooling and improved cooling capability, and protects operators frombeing scalded by the otherwise hot refrigerant return tube inhigh-temperature operations. With all the merits, the present inventiondoes meet the patent requirement of inventive step, and a patentapplication is filed thereto. The present invention has been describedwith reference to the preferred embodiments and it is understood thatthe embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the presentinvention. Moreover, as the contents disclosed herein should be readilyunderstood and can be implemented by a person skilled in the art, allequivalent changes or modifications which do not depart from the conceptof the present invention should be encompassed by the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A multi-channel refrigerant controller with changeablerefrigerant evaporation comprising a refrigerant-channel assembly, asolenoid-valve assembly, a capillary-tube assembly and an executioncontroller, the refrigerant-channel assembly having two or more two-endrefrigerant channels, each of the refrigerant channels having one endconnected to a solenoid valve of the witching solenoid-valve assembly,the solenoid valves being connected to two-end capillary tubes ofdifferent flow capacities, respectively, opposite ends of the capillarytubes being connected to different sites on a phase-change coolingsystem, opposite ends of the refrigerant channels of therefrigerant-channel assembly being communicated mutually and thenconnected to a condensing tube and in turn a condenser of the coolingsystem, and the execution controller being connected to the solenoidvalves, and a cooling unit and a compressor of the cooling system,respectively, for performing functional control.
 2. The multi-channelrefrigerant controller of claim 1, wherein the refrigerant-channelassembly is connected to the condensing tube through one or more tees,U-pipes or distributors.